Camera

Although the S9 is comparable to an iPhone X in design, its camera specs line up more closely with the iPhone 8. It boasts a 12-megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilization, 8X digital zoom, and features like Motion Photo and augmented reality emoji (one feature only iPhone X utilizes).

The S9+ sports a dual camera system, featuring wide-angle and telephoto systems, similar to the 8 Plus and X. According to DxOMark, which rates DSLR and smartphone cameras, the S9+ earns a 99 ranking, ahead of the Pixel 2 (98) and iPhone X (97).

A woman holds up the Google Pixel 2 phone, left, next to the Pixel 2 XL phone, Wednesday at a Google event.(Photo: Jeff Chiu, AP)

Operating system

Pixel and Galaxy S9 models run on Android 8.0, the latest version of Google's mobile operating software. Pixel provides the closest thing to a pure Google Android experience, while Samsung sprinkles in its own features such as the Bixby voice assistant and Samsung Pay. The iPhone runs on iOS 11.

Price

If you want a great smartphone on a budget, the Pixel 2 is the least expensive starting at $649, followed by the iPhone 8 at $699. The Galaxy S9 sits in the middle starting at $720, while the S9+ starts at $840, pricier than the iPhone 8 Plus but a hair cheaper than the Pixel 2 XL. The iPhone X wears the most expensive smartphone crown, with its $999 price tag.

What we've learned

Choosing a smartphone is such a personal choice. Do you want to save money? Do you use your phone to surf the Web a lot, or watch videos, or play games? Are you a diehard iOS fan? Can you not live without Android?

We've reached a point with all these smartphones where innovation creeps at a much slower pace, plus the quality of these phones is so good you can't really pick a bad one out of this bunch.

Posted!

A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.

The new iPhone X is displayed during an Apple special event at the Steve Jobs Theatre on the Apple Park campus on September 12, 2017 in Cupertino, California. Apple held their first special event at the new Apple Park campus where they announced the new iPhone 8, iPhone X and the Apple Watch Series 3. Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak motions to a camera ahead of a media event where Apple is expected to announce a new iPhone and other products in Cupertino, Calif. on Sept. 12, 2017. Josh Edelson, AFP/Getty Images

Attendees photograph the Steve Jobs Theatre at Apple Park on Sept. 12, 2017 in Cupertino, Calif.. Apple is holding their first special event at the new Apple Park campus where they are expected to unveil a new iPhone. Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

An employee guards the entrance at Apple's new visitor center during an announcement of new products Sept. 12, 2017.
The unveiling of the dramatically redesigned iPhone will likely be the marquee moment as Apple hosts its first event at its new Cupertino, Calif., headquarters. Marcio Jose Sanchez, AP

Apple sent out invitations on August 31, 2017 to a first-ever media event in the Steve Jobs Theater at its new 'spaceship' campus in Silicon Valley. The keenly anticipated event set for September 12 is expected to star iPhone models marking the tenth anniversary of the culture-changing smartphones. In trademark style, Apple revealed little in the invitation that provided the date, time, location and a message that read 'Let's meet at our place.'
This file image shows an aerial view of the new Apple headquarters on April 28, 2017 in Cupertino, California. Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

In this Monday, June 5, 2017, file photo, a person takes a photo of an Apple logo before an announcement of new products at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose, Calif. Marcio Jose Sanchez, AP

In this Sept. 9, 2015 file photo, a man walks past the Apple logo during a product display for Apple TV following an Apple event in San Francisco. Television is one of the few screens that has Apple hasn't conquered, but that may soon change. The world's richest company appears ready to set out to produce Emmy-worthy programming along the lines of HBO's 'Game of Thrones' and Netflix's 'Stranger Things.' Eric Risberg, AP